Apparatus for the game of tug of war



Oct. 25, 1949. F. PETERS APPARATUS FOR THE GAME OF TUG OF WAR Filed Sept. 17, 1947 54 ELL FIG. 1

32 F'IG. 5

3| FREDERICK PETERS 2? 22 BY 26 a v 5 FIG 4 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,485,768 APPARATUS FOR THE GAME OF TUG OF WAR Frederick Peters, Hollywood, Calif.

Application September 17, 1947, Serial No. 774,460

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for the game of tug of war and more particularly to apparatus embodying a horizontally elongated platform for the contestants including a central indicator platform section. I

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an apparatus for tug of war including a horizontally elongated casing which is open at opposite ends to provide a tunnel through the casing for receiving the rope, a horizontally elongated slot being provided in one wall of the casing through which an indicator, which is attached to the rope, extends.

Another object of the invention is to form the platform of a plurality of horizontal sections, arranged end to end in abutting relationship and to provide foot braces at one end of each section and having the vertical part of an angle iron attached to the outer side of the brace of each section and the horizontal part overlapping or overlying the abutting end of the next adjacent section whereby the weight of the contestant on the first mentioned section holds the end of the next adjacent platform section in position.

A further object is to carry the indicator section by the central section of the platform and to utilize the weight of the contestant on opposite sides of the indicator section to hold the said section in position.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus, portions thereof being broken away; I

Fig. 2 is a side view of the indicator section but on a larger scale than shown in Fig. 1, and shows a part in section, the part in section being taken on line-2-2 of Fi 3;

Fig. 3 is a view looking in the direction of arrow 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the ends of abutting sections; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the foot brace end of a section.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus 20 comprises a platform 2| including a plurality of platform sections. Preferably. I provide seven sections including a horizontally elongated central or indicator section 22 and three elongated sections 24 disposed in end to end relationship at each end of the indicator section 22. Each platform section including four elongated boards 25 of approximate twelve foot lengths, arranged side by said but spaced slightly from one another and suitably secured to one another at the ends thereof.

The ends of the boards 25 of the central section are attached by metallic cleats 26 and bolts .21. The ends of each of the boards 25 of section 24 are fastened to one another in the same manner as the central section. The opposite ends of the boards of section 24 are each attached to a foot brace 29 by bolts 30. A transversely disposed and horizontally extending angle iron 3| is attached to the outer side of each of the foot braces by bolts 32. These bolts extend through the vertical part of theangle iron; the horizontal part of the angle iron extending outwardly so as to overlie the cleat of the next adjacent platform section.

The boards 25 of the central or indicator section 22 are spanned by wood cleats 34. A horizontally elongated frame 35 is secured to the top of cleats 34 by wood strips 36 and screws 31. A horizontally elongated casing 38 is secured to the top 'of frame 35. Frame 35 and casing 38 extend longitudinally of platform section 22. This casing 38 is formed by side walls 39 and a top wall 40. The top of the frame 35 forms the bottom wall of the casing. The side walls 39 are secured to the top wall of frame 35 by angle irons 42 and screws 43. horizontally elongated strips of wood 44 secured to the upper edges of sidewalls 39 by screws 45. The confronting side edges of strips 44 are spaced from one another so as to form a slot 46 in the top wall 40. This slot 46 is lined by the vertical parts of angle irons 41, the horizontal part of the angle irons being secured to the strips 44 by screws 48. The ends of the casing 38 are open so that the casing forms a tunnel 49.

The rope 50. used in the tug of war game. extends through the tunnel 49 of casing 38 and an indicator 5| is suitably clam ed to the rope. This indicator 5| includes a rope clamping section 53, an extension 54, and an indicator section 55. The extension extends through the slot 46 in the top wall 40 of casing 38 whereby the indicator section 55 of the indicator is visible.

When the apparatus is to be used, the platform sections are placed in abutting relation, end to end, with the indicator section 22 interposed centrally of the six other sections 24. The angle iron 3| on the foot braces 29 overlie the ends of the next adjacent platform section and the weight of the contestant on the section, carrying The top wall 40 is formed by two the foot braces, holds the sections in abutting relationship. In the preferred embodiment two contestants lie on each section 24 with the soles of their feet facing toward the central section and therefore there is provided a second foot brace 57 on each platform section 24. These are held in place in the same manner as braces 29.

It will be understood that the rope 50 extends longitudinally of the platform 2| and, at the start of the contest, indicator 5| lies midway between the ends of the elongated casing 38. Suitable indicia can be arranged along the casing 38 for indicating the position of the indicator relative to the center or starting point.

While the form of embodiment herein shown and described constitutes the preferred form, it will be understood that othereforms may be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims that follow.

I claim:

- 1; A tug of war apparatus, comprising in combination, a platform formed of a plurality of elongated platform sections, arranged end to end, upwardly extending and transversely disposed foot rests secured to the upper side of an end of each of certain'ofsaid platform sections, an angle iron having the vertically extending portion "thereof secured-to the vertical extending outer side of the foot rest and having the horizontally extending portion thereof extending outwardly from the outer side of the foot rest and resting on the end of the next adjacent platform section.

2. A tug of war apparatus, comprising in combination, a platform formedof three or more hori zontally elongated platform sections disposed end to end', portion of adjacent ends of said section "abutting one 'another and other'portions of said adjacent ends overlapping one another, a horizontally elongated casing secured to the center platform section, said casing being open at both ends to provide an elongated horizontally extending passage, a horizontally extending rope extending through the passage and above the sections, said casing having a slot in one of the elongated walls thereof, and an indicator attached to the rope and extending through the slot beyond the said wall of the casing, said slot being coextensive with the lengthiof: the Wall whereby the indicator can be moved beyond either end of the casing.

3. A tug of war apparatus, comprising in combination; a-;horizontal1y elongated casing open at each end, an elongated platform carrying said casingand-extending longitudinally beyond oppo- .vsite ends of, thecasing providing opposite resting platforms for the participants of the game, said casing having a slot in one of the elongated walls thereof, a rope extending through the casing and 4 overlying the platform and ,an, indicator attached to the rope; and extending through the slot 'beyond-thessaid ,wall of ,the casin Said slot being coextensive-=With-the. length .of the. wall whereby the indicator can bemovedbeyond either nd of the casin FREDERICK PETERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the -file of this-patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,696,889 iscott .d Dec. 25, 1,828 1,990,809 '--.'W1ight Feb.,-,12,,1935

, 2,021,395 Watmough Now-19,1935 

